Our Fight to Defend Abortion Access and Protect Reproductive Freedom​

CTP’s Reproductive Freedom Taskforce (RFT) is a collaboration among abortion providers, health care providers, attorneys, and elected officials promoting strategies to ensure freedom in reproductive care and accountability for those that seek to undermine reproductive health care.

The Taskforce will pursue strategies in educating the public in the media, producing content for public consumption, and ensuring reproductive care is protected from anti-abortion idealogues weaponizing this medical issue for political gain.

CTP's Reproductive Freedom Task Force

Dr. Maya Bass, MD, MA, FAAFP – Co-chair

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Dr. Maya Bass is a board-certified Family physician. She graduated from Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University and completed her master’s degree in Biology at Wesleyan College. She completed her residency at Family and Community Medicine – Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and her fellowship at Physicians for Reproductive Health in Washington, DC. She has a focus on caring for underserved populations, reproductive health, wellness, and residency education.

Dr. Bhavik Kumar, MD, MPH – Co-chair

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Dr Kumar (he/him) is a board-certified family medicine physician and Medical Director for Primary and Trans Care at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, in Houston, Texas. He has also been an abortion provider in his home state of Texas since 2015. He completed medical school at Texas Tech University HSC, residency training at Montefiore Medical Center, and a Fellowship in Family Planning at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in the Bronx, NY. Bhavik is an outspoken advocate for abortion and trans care access in the media and in the courts.

Dr. Kristin Lyerly, MD, MPH, FACOG

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Dr. Kristin Lyerly is a specialist in general obstetrics and gynecology in Northeastern Wisconsin. She completed medical school and residency at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She also received her Master of Public Health degree from the UW, focusing on African American infant mortality in southeastern Wisconsin. A former candidate for the Wisconsin State Legislature, she is deeply committed to both her clinical work and advocacy, ensuring that providers of obstetrical and gynecological services throughout Wisconsin have the training and resources they need to ensure excellent outcomes for people across the State and beyond.

Dr. Anita Somani, MD

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Dr. Anita Somani is an ObGyn in Columbus, Oh. Dr. Somani is the co-chair of the Physicians Action Network Board and the state director for South Asians for America. She is the past president of the Columbus Medical Association. Dr. Somani has been advocating for women since 2011 when the first anti-abortion bills were being debated in Ohio. She is currently the Executive in Residence at Franklin University’s Global Center for Healthcare Education.

She was honored to receive the 2021 Central Ohio Social Justice Award for Healthcare.

Dr. Didi Saint Louis, MD, MPH

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Dr. Didi consults women on personal health and in various stages of mothering. She created Healthy Mommy, Happy Baby so moms of color would have access to credible information addressing the issues unique to them. Dr. Didi earned her medical degree from the University of Miami, then completed her surgical internship at the University of Missouri and her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at New York Medical College/St. Vincent Catholic Medical Center. After residency, Dr. Didi served as an assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and earned a Master’s of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health.

Dr. Cecilia Grande, MD

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Dr. Cecilia Grande specializes in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine in San Juan and completed her residency at University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Melissa Bayne, DO

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Dr. Melissa Bayne specializes in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She graduated from Midwestern University and completed her internship and residency at SCS/MSUCOM/Metro Health – University of Michigan (GME).

Dr. Kimberly Chernoby, MD, JD, MA

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Kimberly Chernoby is Counsel for Reproductive Rights and Health at the National Women’s Law Center. She is also a Clinical Instructor of Emergency Medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Kimi was the first graduate of the University of Florida’s MD/JD program and previously served as a Health Policy Fellow for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. As a resident physician in Indiana, she helped pregnant minors obtain the right to consent to their own medical care including postpartum contraception. Her work focuses on increasing access to contraception at the state and federal level, specifically using clinical experience to advance policies that center the needs of patients.

Dr. Meera Shah, MD, MA, MPH, AAHIVS

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Dr. Meera Shah is a family medicine physician currently serving as the chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic in New York. Shah is a strong advocate for increasing sexual and reproductive health access in underserved areas and to underserved communities. A Fellow with the Physicians for Reproductive Health, Shah is dedicated to calling out the injustices that keep people from exercising their autonomy. She also authored the deeply moving and humanizing book, You’re the Only One I’ve Told: The Stories Behind Abortion.

Dr. Ealena Callender, MD, MA

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Dr. Ealena Callender is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist. Prior to her medical career, Dr. Callender was a journalist and continues to use the media to help raise awareness of important women’s health issues. Currently a candidate for a Master’s Degree at George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, she hopes to continue making an impact on improving women’s health on a national and international scale.

Dr. Chelsea Daniels, MD

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Dr. Chelsea Daniels is a board-certified Family Physician who specializes in family planning and reproductive healthcare. She is a Staff Physician at Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida, a travel abortion provider at Whole Woman’s Health, and a gender-affirming care provider at FOLX Health. Passionate about increasing reproductive rights and access, she currently serves as a Cluster Leader for the Florida Cluster of the Reproductive Health Access Project, is a Fellow of the Physicians for Reproductive Health, and works on the Florida AAFP’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee.

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